Paleo Thanksgiving: 4 Simple Recipes

Everything but the turkey – you’re guide to the best Paleo Thanksgiving!

For all you health nuts out there (myself included), do not dread Thanksgiving!

You can still keep the family traditions without the classic mashed potatoes.

Thanksgiving embodies my two favorite things – gratitude and food, lots of good food. As someone who eats paleo as their “norm,” Thanksgiving is no exception – especially when there are DELICIOUS alternatives to everything nowadays.

So whether you are deciding what to bring to a pot luck or what you’re going to eat at your family’s non-paleo meal, I have 4 SIMPLE recipes you can make that will impress your family AND keep your belly happy!

These biscuits are my FAVORITE Paleo Thanksgiving tradition passed down from my momma and now to you! Made from homemade cashew flour and fresh herbs – warm them up with a little bit of butter (or gravy) and they will melt in your mouth.

Herb Drop Biscuits

Just because they’re GUILT FREE doesn’t mean they’re flavor free. Have one and you’ll be sure to go back for seconds or thirds…

TIP: For extra fluffy biscuits, don’t skip beating the egg whites! Really take your time either with an electric handheld mixer or by hand and beat the egg whites until they are very fluffy with small peaks. Taking your time on this step will help you achieve the best biscuits – trust me!

Herb Drop Biscuits

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

1 ½ cup Whole Raw Cashews

3 Eggs Separated

¾ tsp Apple Cider Vinegar

¼ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk

1/3 cup Coconut Flour

¼ cup Blanched Almond Flour

3 Fresh Sage Leaves torn

1 Spring Rosemary needles stripped from stem

¾ tsp Fine Sea Salt

1 tsp Baking Soda

¼ cup Ghee or Grass-Fed Unsalted Butter softened

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees + line baking sheet with Parchment Paper.

Process the cashews in a food processor until they’re ground into fine flour (10 seconds). Add the egg yolks, ACV, almond milk, then process again for 10 seconds until the batter resembles a thick paste. Add the coconut flour, almond flour, herbs, salt, and baking soda, and process again.

Either by hand with a whisk, or with an electric handheld mixer, beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form & they’re nice and fluffy. Add the egg whites and butter or ghee to the food processor, then pulse 6 to 8 times- until the egg whites are incorporated. Don’t overdo it!

Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack or cool plate and serve warm.

TIP: Brush the tops with melted ghee or butter and sprinkle with garlic powder before serving.

Now that you’ve made your biscuits it’s time to make some sides!

On salad duty? I got you.

Who says salads have to be cold. Make the unexpected move and bring my Warm Caramelized Acorn Squash + Onion Salad!

Warm Caramelized Acorn Squash + Onion Salad

Veggies disguised as a salad? I dig it!

What I love about this “salad” is its mix of flavors. From the warm delicate texture of acorn squash to the caramelized red onion all topped with a yummy sweet drizzle that packs a small punch of cayenne pepper. Your palate will thank you – as will your family.

Let’s be real… Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without some kind of mashed potatoes. If you’re dedicated to a healthy lifestyle, or just love good food, you’ve got to try my Pecan Sweet Potato Puree!

Pecan Sweet Potato Purée

Full disclosure, I make these sweet fluffy clouds with a regular meal all the time… it’s THAT GOOD and good for you. Sweet potatoes are considered nutritional all-stars – they can help improve your immunity, blood sugar, and are a great source of vitamin A and C.

If I lost you on that little health rant… the best part about sweet potatoes is that they taste really REALLY good and are so SIMPLE to make.

Pecan Sweet Potato Puree

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 lbs Sweet Potatoes peeled & cubed

¾ tbs Coconut Milk or Coconut Cream

2 tbs Fat (Ghee, butter, coconut butter)

½ tsp Salt

1 cup Whole Pecans

Instructions

Place the sweet potatoes in a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain & return to the pot.

Add the coconut milk, fat, and salt to the hot sweet potatoes and use a hand mixer or potato masher to mash. Add more liquid to achieve your desired consistency.

Transfer puree to a dish and sprinkle the top with roasted pecans.

All of the recipes I have shared can be made outside of Thanksgiving, which I think is so important! Especially my last recipe that I have to share can be made for breakfast, as a dessert, or even as a snack! Versatility is key to healthy eating.

In true “saving the best for last” fashion, I give you my Paleo Blueberry Lemon Scones! These babies are the perfect way to begin or end your Paleo Thanksgiving Day.

Paleo Blueberry Lemon Scones

Making sweets on the holidays has always been a fun family tradition and now that my house is mostly paleo, we love to gather and make these fresh scones. I bake these year round to have with a cup of coffee in the morning or as a sweet treat after dinner.

Make them with blueberries, cherries, or even chocolate chunks, whatever you fancy in your scones. Have fun with it! They’re simple to make, fluffy, and best part is you’re Uncle Joe won’t even know they’re “healthy”!

Ingredients

Instructions

DRY INGREDIENTS: Add almond flour, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest to a large bowl and stir to combine.

WET INGREDIENTS: Make well in middle of your dry ingredient mixture and add egg- whisk until fluffy.

Add in the rest of your wet ingredients- honey and lemon juice. Stir the dough until well combined.

Carefully fold in blueberries.

Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop out the scones onto your baking sheet. My scoops were heaping. Lightly wet hands with water and gently flatten the tops of the scones to give them the class “scone” look. Should be about 1-1.5 inches thick.

Bake for 18-20 minutes- until the tops are golden brown. Let them cool on a wire rack or cool plate.

I hope these recipes sparked some ideas for a healthy Happy Paleo Thanksgiving! For more simple, healthy recipes go to www.nicssimpleliving.com.

Cheers to a Happy (Paleo) Thanksgiving filled with family, gratitude, and a full belly!